Mandatory Viewing: Top 10 TED Talks On Motivation

Channel marketing folks have to spend a lot of time thinking about motivation and our understanding of the science behind what motivates has come a long way in a short time, to be sure. But this post is a study on motivation for all of us – in the channel and in our lives.

This office has no shortage of old-school motivational quotes posters up on the wall.You know, pictures of rock climbing, mountaineering or that basketball net photo that reminds us “You always miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Motivational quotes themselves have come a long way too.Since we live in this amazing time where incredible information and content zips around the Internet with a couple of taps to the keyboard, each of us now has totally unprecedented access to motivation in the form of enjoying talks from speakers and thought leaders we might otherwise have never known about. Find what resonates with you and keep your own list of motivation quotes. Alternatively, simply bookmark this page and come back whenever you need a top up.

Here they are, ranked by number of views:

10. Stefan Sagmeister: 7 Rules For Making More Happiness

Using simple, delightful illustrations, designer Stefan Sagmeister shares his latest thinking on happiness — both the conscious and unconscious kind. His seven rules for life and design happiness can (with some customizations) apply to everyone seeking more joy.

9.Drew Dudley: Everyday Leadership

We have all changed someone’s life — usually without even realizing it. In this funny talk, Drew Dudley calls on all of us to celebrate leadership as the everyday act of improving each other’s lives.

8.Roselinde Torres: What It Takes To Be A Great Leader

The world is full of leadership programs, but the best way to learn how to lead might be right under your nose. In this clear, candid talk, Roselinde Torres describes 25 years observing truly great leaders at work, and shares the three simple but crucial questions would-be company chiefs need to ask to thrive in the future.

7.Rick Warren: A Life of Purpose

Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life, reflects on his own crisis of purpose in the wake of his book’s wild success. He explains his belief that God’s intention is for each of us to use our talents and influence to do good.

6.Nigel Marsh: How To Make Work-Life Balance Work

Work-life balance, says Nigel Marsh, is too important to be left in the hands of your employer. Marsh lays out an ideal day balanced between family time, personal time and productivity — and offers some stirring encouragement to make it happen.

5.Derek Sivers: Keep Your Goals To Yourself

After hitting on a brilliant new life plan, our first instinct is to tell someone, but Derek Sivers says it’s better to keep goals secret. He presents research stretching as far back as the 1920s to show why people who talk about their ambitions may be less likely to achieve them.

4.Rita F. Pierson: Every Kid Needs A Champion

Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, “They don’t pay me to like the kids.” Her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.'” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

3.Dan Ariely: What Makes Us Feel Good About Our Work?

What motivates us to work? Contrary to conventional wisdom, it isn’t just money. But it’s not exactly joy either. It seems that most of us thrive by making constant progress and feeling a sense of purpose. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely presents two eye-opening experiments that reveal our unexpected and nuanced attitudes toward meaning in our work.

2.Dan Pink: The Puzzle of Motivation

Career analyst Dan Pink examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most managers don’t: Traditional rewards aren’t always as effective as we think. Listen for illuminating stories — and maybe, a way forward.

1.Tony Robbins: Why We Do What We Do

Tony is not the inventor of the motivational talk, but he has certainly perfected it for the modern world. Tony discusses the “invisible forces” that motivate everyone’s actions — and high-fives Al Gore in the front row.

Got any TED talks that you consider mandatory viewing? Please share them with us in the comments.